[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 2 (Wednesday, January 8, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H125-H126]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 VETERANS BEING DENIED HEALTH BENEFITS

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Rehberg). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from Ohio (Mr. Strickland) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. STRICKLAND. Mr. Speaker, at a time of pending war, the President 
has submitted a program to this House referred to as the stimulus 
package that will direct about $300 billion to the richest 5 percent of 
America's citizens, and I would like to place that against further 
decisions made by this administration which affect America's veterans.
  At a time of possible war, at a time when we talk about our 
admiration for our military and at a time when we verbalize our 
appreciation for those who have served our country in military service, 
we are treating our veterans in the most shabby manner.
  A case in point, last February the Veterans Administration increased 
the copayment that veterans must pay for prescription medications by a 
whopping 350 percent. Now at a time when we find money to give billions 
to the richest among us, we are nickel and diming America's veterans. 
Perhaps the most egregious example of how we are shortchanging our 
veterans is found in a memo that was written on July 19, 2002, a memo 
that was sent out by the Deputy Under-Secretary for Operations and 
Management of the Veterans Administration. I would like to read a few 
comments from that memo. It was sent to all of the health care 
providers across the country.
  It says, ``As you are aware, the Veterans Health Administration is 
currently facing a growing crisis related to the continuing demand for 
health care services that exceeds our resources. Moreover, actuarial 
projections indicate a widening gap in the demand versus resource 
availability.'' And then the shameful conclusion of this memo, 
``Therefore, I am directing each network director to ensure that no 
marketing activities to enroll new veterans occur within your 
networks.'' Let me read that sentence again. ``I am directing each 
network director to ensure that no marketing activities to enroll new 
veterans occur within your networks.''
  Even though some sites may have local capacity as a national system, 
all facilities are expected to abide by this policy. Marketing 
activities may include generalized mailings to veterans, prohibited. 
Local newspaper or newspaper articles encouraging veterans to

[[Page H126]]

enroll, prohibited, or similar public service announcements. In other 
words, the policy of the VA is to withhold information from veterans 
regarding the services that they are legally entitled to.
  Now, I call this the new ``if they do not ask, we will not tell'' 
policy. If the veterans do not ask what services they are entitled to 
under the law, the VA policy is that we will not tell them. And, 
furthermore, we will prohibit our health care providers from reaching 
out to sick or disabled veterans and telling them what this body has 
provided under the law for them. This is shameful. I ask how the 
American people can tolerate and why the administration would institute 
such a policy that says to America's veterans that they may be entitled 
to certain services legally, health services, but we are prohibiting. 
Think of that, we are prohibiting our network providers from giving 
veterans information that they deserve, that they need to know in order 
to get the services that they are legally entitled to receive. This is 
shameful.
  I call upon the administration and I call upon those of us who are 
Members of this body to hold this administration accountable for this 
shameful act. I wonder how many veterans who have served this country 
and paid with their health and their bodies understand what this 
administration is doing to them.

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